“In Spain, they are not allowed to possess any lands, nor even to serve as soldiers. They marry among themselves, stroll in troops, about the country, and bury their dead under water. Their ignorance prevents their employing themselves in any thing, but in providing for the immediate wants of nature; beyond which even their roguishness does not extend; and, only endeavouring to save themselves the trouble of labour, they are contented if they can procure food by showing feats of dexterity; and only pilfer to supply themselves with the trifles they want; so that they never render themselves liable to any severer chastisement, than that of whipping, for having stolen chickens, linen, &c. Most of the men have a smattering of physic and surgery, and are skilful in tricks performed by slight of hand.”
“The foregoing account is partly extracted from Le Voyageur François, Vol. XVI.; but the assertion that they are all so abandoned,
as that author says, is too general. I have lodged many times in their houses, and never missed the most trifling things, though I have left my knives, forks, candlesticks, spoons, and linen at their mercy.”
Swinburne states, that “they swarm more in the province of Granada, than in any other part of the realm. This singular sect have kept themselves separate from the rest of mankind ever since their first appearance which has been recorded in history.
“Their origin remains a problem not to be satisfactorily solved; and I doubt whether the Gitanos themselves, have any secret tradition that might lead to a discovery of what they really were in the beginning, or from what country they came. The received opinion sets them down as Egyptians, and makes them out to be the descendants of those vagabond votaries of Isis, who appear to have exercised, in ancient Rome, pretty much the same profession as that followed by the present Gypsies, viz: fortune-telling, strolling up and down, and pilfering.
“Few of them employed themselves in works of husbandry, or handicrafts; indeed the Spaniards would not work with them. Except a small part of them who follow the trades of blacksmiths, and vintners, most of them are makers of iron rings, and other little trifles, rather to prevent their being laid hold of as vagrants, than really as a means of subsistence. Several of them travel about as carriers and pedlars.
“Though they conform to the Roman Catholic mode of worship, they are looked upon in the light of unbelievers; but I never could meet with any body that pretended to say what their private faith and religion may be. All the Gypsies I have conversed with, assured me of their sound Catholicism; and I have seen the medal of Nuestra Senora del Carmel sewed on the sleeves of several of their women.
“They seldom venture on any crimes that may endanger their lives; petty larceny is the utmost extent of their roguishness.
“The men are tall, well built, and swarthy, with a bad scowling eye, and a kind of favorite
lock of hair left to grow down before their ears, which rather increases the gloominess of their features; their women are nimble and supple jointed; when young they are generally handsome, with fine black eyes. Their ears and necks are loaded with trinkets and baubles, and most of them wear a large patch on each temple.”